PITTSBURGH PIRATES NOTES:
THE PIRATES:…Dropped the second game of their season-opening series by a score of 6-2 yesterday afternoon…Opened their 137th season as a member of the National League with a 5-4 win against the Reds Thursday afternoon.
ABOUT TODAY’S STARTER: Vince Velasquez will get the start this afternoon in the finale of this season-opening three-game series against the Reds…The Pirates signed Velasquez to a one-year contract this past offseason on December 13…Velasquez spent the 2022 campaign with the Chicago White Sox, where he went 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA (75.1ip/40er) in 27 appearances (nine starts).
SCOUTING REPORT: Vince Velasquez spent the 2022 season with the White Sox, where he posted the best walk rate (2.99 percent) of his career while splitting time between the starting rotation and bullpen…Velasquez ranked in the 78th percentile in Zone Miss percentage (19.5%), 74th percentile in Batting Average on Balls In Play (.270), 88th percentile of Four-Seam spin rate (2417) and 73rd percentile for average Slider spin rate (2501) among pitchers with at least 75.0 innings pitched last season according to TruMedia.
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN: The Pirates and Reds will meet again later this month in a four-game series at PNC Park from April 20-23…Pittsburgh’s only other trip back to Cincinnati will take place during the final road trip of the year from September 22-24…The Reds will make their second and final visit to Pittsburgh under MLB’s new scheduling format from August 11-13.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW: Jose Hernandez worked a scoreless eighth inning while making his MLB debut Saturday afternoon…The Pirates had a total of 14 players make their Major League debut in 2022…That was tied for the fourth-most in all of MLB along with the Tigers…The only three teams to have more players make their MLB debuts in 2022 were the A’s (19), Cubs (17) and Guardians (17).
OFF TO FENWAY: The Pirates will continue their season-opening road trip with a three-game series beginning tomorrow night against the Red Sox at Fenway Park…This will be Pittsburgh’s third trip to Fenway during interleague play…Prior to their last visit in 2017, Pittsburgh’s only other visit to Boston since interleague play began came in 2005.
AGAINST THE JUNIOR CIRCUIT: Tomorrow will begin a stretch of nine straight games against the American League for the Pirates…In addition to the three-game series in Boston, Pittsburgh’s first homestand of the 2023 campaign will feature three-game series against the Chicago White Sox and World-Champion Houston Astros.
TIME IS ON OUR SIDE: Saturday’s time of game between the Pirates and Reds was 2 hours and 16 minutes…Pittsburgh’s fastest game last year came on August 23 against the Braves at 2 hours and 15 minutes…Pittsburgh played in a total of six games in 2022 that were played in 2 hours and 30 minutes or less…MLB’s average nine inning game so far in 2023 is 2 hours and 41 minutes.
AND THE WHIFF: Rich Hill struck out TJ Friedl in the fifth inning yesterday for the 1300th strikeout of his big league career…Hill became the 94th left-handed pitcher all-time to reach the milestone.
PIRATING IN THE OPENER: Thursday afternoon Ji Hwan Bae recorded two stolen bases to become one of just three Pirates to record a pair of stolen bases on Opening Day…Prior to Bae, the only other Pirates with two stolen bases on Opening Day were Omar Moreno on April 10, 1982, and Joe Nealon on April 11, 1907.
PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF: Oneil Cruz has recorded an RBI in each of his first two games of the 2023 season…Since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis last year on June 20, Cruz ranks fifth among all shortstops in MLB with 57 RBI…The only four shortstops to record more RBI in that time are Willy Adames (65), Bo Bichette (61), Marcus Semien (60) and Dansby Swanson (60).
GREAT AMERICAN RESULTS: Andrew McCutchen enters today with 21 career home runs here at Great American Ball Park…That’s tied for the fourth-most by any visiting player in the ballpark’s history along with Albert Pujols, trailing only Ryan Braun (28), Lance Berkman (23) and Anthony Rizzo (22).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – 27 – RHP VINCE VELASQUEZ
VINCE VELASQUEZ: The 30-year-old righthander is making his Pirates debut this afternoon…Signed a one-year contract with the Pirates on 12/13.
vs. CINCINNATI: 0-1 with a 6.08 ERA (13.1ip/9er) in five career appearances (two starts)…Will be making his first outing against the Reds since losing in relief (3.0ip/6er) on 5/31/21 here at Great American Ball Park as a member fof the Phillies..
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME
• Is Game 3 of the 2023 championship season and Game 3 of a 6-game homestand that concludes with a 3-game series vs the Cubs.
• Following this homestand the Reds will travel to Phi (3g) and to Atl (3g) for their first road trip, including the Phillies’ home opener on Thu.
SERIES NOTES
• Yesterday’s 6-2 win snapped the Reds’ 8-game losing streak vs Pit, dating back to last season…the 7-game losing streak to finish the 2022 campaign was Cin’s longest vs the Pirates since a 7-game skid from 7/20-9/28, 2018.
• Beginning in 2021 at Great American Ball Park, the Reds are 13-8 vs Pit with a 131-77 advantage in runs scored…the Reds have won 23 of the
last 38 games overall vs the Pirates, including 18 of the last 26 games vs Pit at GABP.
• The Reds are 14-29 at Pit’s PNC Park the last 5 seasons, including an 11-game losing streak spanning 2018-2019 and an 8-game losing streak there to begin the 2019 season.
REHABBING
• 1B Joey Votto (8/19/22, surgeries to repair the left biceps and torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder) is rehabbing with Louisville…in the opener of yesterday’s doubleheader at Nashville he played 1B and went 1-for-3 (1bb, 2k), including a solo HR off Caleb Boushley on the first pitch he was thrown…did not play in the nightcap…today is scheduled to play 9 innings at 1B.
• IF/OF Nick Senzel (11/14/22 surgery to repair a sesamoid fracture in his left great toe) is rehabbing at the Reds’ player development complex in Goodyear…today is scheduled to play 9 innings.
• RHP Tony Santillan (low back Pars stress fracture) is rehabbing in Goodyear…could go on a rehabilitation assignment this week.
• RHP Lucas Sims (low back spasms) is rehabbing in Goodyear…today is scheduled to throw 1.0 inning.
• RHP Luke Weaver (right elbow flexor strain) is rehabbing with the team in Cincinnati…today is scheduled to throw a side here.
THE SKIPPER…: David Bell is in his fifth season as a Major League manager (252-296, .460, 2020 Wild Card)…was hired on 10/22/18…on 9/22/21, the club announced a 2-year contract extension through the 2023 season.
• David and his father, Buddy, is the fourth father-son duo to serve as Major League managers, joining George & Dick Sisler, Bob & Joel Skinner and Bob & Aaron Boone…Buddy managed Det (1996-1998), Col (2000-2002) and KC (2005-2007).
• David previously spent 4 seasons in the Reds organization’s player development department as a manager, at Class AA Carolina from 2009-
2011 and at Class AAA Louisville in 2012.
…AND HIS CREW: Returning to David Bell’s staff are bench coach Freddie Benavides (10th season on the Major League staff), 3B coach J.R. House(5th), pitching coach Derek Johnson (5th), game planning/infield coach Jeff Pickler (5th), bullpen catcher José Duarte (5th), coordinator of advance scouting Kyle Arnsberg (2nd) and hitting coach Joel McKeithan (2nd).
• New to the staff in 2023 are assistant hitting coach Terry Bradshaw, 1B Coach Collin Cowgill, assistant hitting/integrated performance coach Tim LaMonte, assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman (alone LISHE-man), bullpen coach Matt Tracy and bullpen catcher Joe Singley.
SHORT HOPS: For the seventh consecutive year, the Reds started a different shortstop on Opening Day (Zack Cozart 2012-2017, José Peraza 2018, José Iglesias 2019, Freddy Galvis 2020, Eugenio Suárez2021, Kyle Farmer 2022, Jose Barrero in 2023).
• It is the Reds’ longest such streak since 1900 for that position.
• 3 previous times since 1900, there were stretches of at least 7 straight Opening Days without consecutive starts at shortstop by the same player (though not necessarily 7 different shortstops): 1906-1914 (Mike Mowrey, 2 starts), 1968-1974 (Dave Concepcion, 3 starts) and 2004-2012 (Alex Gonzalez, 2 starts)…notes courtesy @EliasSports.
• In 2022, Kyle Farmer led the Reds with 97 starts at SS…on 11/18/22, he was traded to the Twins for RHP Casey Legumina.
2022: A SEASON OF RECORDS
• 66 players appeared in at least 1 game for Reds, a new club record for number of players in a season…the previous franchise record was held by the 2003 Reds (57 players).
• 38 players pitched in at least 1 game for the Reds, a new club record for number of pitchers in a season and including position players Matt Reynolds (2g), Max Schrock (1g) and Alejo Lopez (3g).
• 17 pitchers started at least 1 game for the Reds, tying the 2003 club record for number of starters in a season.
• Reds pitchers hit 110 batters, a new Major League single-season record (2021 Cubs pitchers, 98hbp)…the previous club record for batters hit by Reds pitchers in a season was 80 in 2005.
• 10 Reds pitchers recorded at least 1 save (Ross Detwiler, Alexis Díaz, Buck Farmer, Ian Gibaut, Joel Kuhnel, Dauri Moreta, Tony Santillan, Lucas Sims, Hunter Strickland, Art Warren), tying the 2021 single-season franchise record.
2022 YOUNG GUNS
• In 62 combined starts, Reds rookie starting pitchers RHP Hunter Greene, LHP Nick Lodolo and RHP Graham Ashcraft went 14-26, 4.34 (334ip, 161er)…all 3 made their Major League debuts in 2022.
• 6 times in 2022 the Reds started rookie pitchers in 3 straight games (last, 7/31-8/2, Lodolo, Greene, Ashcraft).
• In LHP Reiver Sanmartin (Game 2), Greene (Game 4) and Lodolo (Game 6), in 2022 the Reds used as many as 3 rookie starting pitchers in the first 6 games of a season for only the second time in their history…the 1902 Reds staff used 3 rookie starting pitchers in their first 5 games, and 4 of their first 6 games that season were started by rookie pitchers (Bob Ewing 2 starts, Len Swormstedt, Martin Glendon)
Today’s Pitcher – #51 Graham Ashcraft, RHP
• This afternoon is making his first appearance of the season in the Reds’ third game…will be his second career appearance and start vs the Pirates.
• In his most recent spring training start, on 3/22 vs SD, allowed 1 hit while recording 10 strikeouts without a walk in 6.0 innings…time of game was 1:52.
• In 2022, in his Major League debut ranked among the National League rookie pitching leaders in starts (T3rd, 19gs), innings pitched (4th, 105.0), ERA (7th, 4.89), strikeouts (11th, 71), opponents’ BA (8th, .281) and WHIP (1.42, 8th).
• From 8/23-9/23 missed 32 days and 31 games while on the 15-day injured list with right biceps soreness.
• In 16 starts prior to the injury went 5-3, 3.97…in his last 5 starts prior to his injury went 1-1, 2.67 (33.2ip, 32h, 10er, 8bb, 24k, 3hr, .252baa), lowering his ERA from a season-high 4.70 to 3.97.
• After 2 rehab apps for Chattanooga and Louisville (5.2ip, 15h, 10r, 5er, 1bb, 11k, 123 pitches), finished the season 0-3, 12.00 in his last 3 starts for the Reds.
• Hunter Greene threw 7.0 scoreless innings (0bb, 8k) in the 7-0 win on 6/6 vs Ari and Ashcraft followed with 6.0 scoreless innings (0bb, 4k) in the 14-8 victory on 6/7 vs Ari…for the first time since 1900, Major League rookie starting pitchers in consecutive games threw at least 6.0 shutout innings without a walk.
• Greene & Ashcraft comprised the third set of Reds rookie pitchers since 1901 to make consecutive starts of at least 6.0 scoreless innings, joining Mike Regan & Hod Eller in 1917 and Sal Romano & Robert Stephenson in 2017.
• Ashcraft became the first Reds pitcher to post an ERA as low as 1.14 through his first 4 Major League apps, all starts, since RHP Chris Reitsma had a 1.03 ERA through his first 4 starts of 2001.
• Was the first Reds pitcher in 2022 to make 3 consecutive quality starts (5/27-6/7) and did it in his second, third and fourth career apps (3-0, 0.47, 19.1ip, 11h, 1er, 3bb, 10k, 1hr, .164baa).
• Within his first 3 career starts threw 13.2 consecutive scoreless innings (1.1ip on 5/22 at Tor, 6.1ip on 5/27 vs SF, 6ip on 6/2 vs Wsh).
• Made his Major League debut in the 3-2 win on 5/22 at Tor…replaced in the rotation scheduled starter RHP Connor Overton, who following the previous day’s game was scratched with a stress reaction in his lower back…Ashcraft already was with the team as a substitute player for the series in Toronto.
• In 2021 was an MiLB.com Organization All-Star, MLB.com’s Reds Pitching Prospect of the Year, the Reds’ Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June and a 3-time league Pitcher of the Week.
• His fastball, slider and curveball all have been rated by Baseball America the best among Reds minor league pitchers.
• Was selected by the Reds in the sixth round of the June 2019 draft…was signed by Jonathan Reynolds
